This invention relates in general to an articulating attachment for tractors, front loaders and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an articulating attachment which may be removably installed on a front loader. The articulating attachment carries a bucket or other working member and allows the bucket or working member to be rotated 360.degree. about a horizontal axis, to be slid in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the loader and, also, allows the use of a two-piece clam shell bucket wherein the clam shell may be opened and closed.
The prior art includes mechanisms for rotating a blade, including the Arnold U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,319 and the Fezatt et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,833. These patents teach mechanisms for rotating the blade (Arnold teaches rotation about a horizontal axis, Fezatt teaches rotation about a vertical axis), but neither teaches a mechanism for sliding the blade horizontally relative to the tractor. Furthermore, neither of those patents teaches a clam shell bucket which may be opened and closed.
The prior art also includes Billings U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,090 which teaches a blade with a scraper and scarifier wherein the second plate may be rotated with respect to the first plate. This feature achieves only partial rotation of the second blade and does not teach the horizontal slidability of the blade relative to the tractor.
The Veys U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,811 teaches the skewing of the blade which achieves a small amount of horizontal sliding, whereas the instant invention achieves considerable horizontal sliding of the blade.
The prior art does teach clam shell operation of a two-piece bucket or blade, as taught by Walters et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,410 and the Risch U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,309. The Walters clam shell is much more complicated than the design of the instant invention and Walters does not teach rotation or sliding of the blade along with opening and closing of the clam shell. The clam shell taught by Risch is used in conjunction with a backhoe and similarly does not teach rotation or horizontal sliding of the clam shell relative to the tractor.
The prior art also teaches quick release blades and attachments for tractors and front loaders including the Birk U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,883, the Hohn U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,624 and Eriksson U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,146. These devices do teach a quick release attachment but do not teach a mechanism for rotating and/or sliding the bucket, and do not teach opening and closing of a two-piece clam shell bucket.